speakers – Tiana Feng

dscf3796 Thanks to LG Canada, I recently received a LG Music Flow P5 Bluetooth Speaker for review.

dscf3798 The packaging was very compact. It is just enough room for the snug speaker inside.

dscf3811 The contents of the box are super simple: speaker, USB cable for charging and super concise instructions.

dscf3812 By simple instructions, I mean this. Only two steps that you can do in under a minute!

dscf3799 The sound was impressive for a small speaker. I was testing it with Apple Music (because that’s what the kids are using these days right?) and the sound was very clear and there was decent low end and high end. As well, the volume levels could get impressively high without sounding compressed or crackling, which is usually an issue with small bluetooth speakers.

dscf3802 I do own and use Harmon Kardon Aura speakers as my main living room speakers but the lightness and wire-free LG Music Flow speakers allow me to bring it in the kitchen, washroom or laundry with ease. It’s not waterproof though, so don’t actually bring it in the shower!

The 2100mAh battery last approximately 15 hours. It takes about 3 hours to charge the entire thing but I plugged the USB into my iPhone block and it didn’t seem that bad. It also turns off by itself when it’s idle to help save power.

dscf3813 When I paired it to my phone for the first time, it recommended me an official Bluetooth app that allows me to control the volume on my phone.

One interesting feature is that you can actually pair two phones to the one speaker at the same time. Not sure why anyone would need to do this but you could have some playlist war with your roommate if you wanted! If you have two speakers, they can be paired to create a stereo sound.

dscf3809 While it’s not my main house speaker, the LG Music Flow P5 Bluetooth speaker makes the perfect portable companion.

Want your own LG Music Flow P5 speaker? I’m giving one away on Ride the Tempo!

I’ve wanted a better record player for ages. I had one of those 3-in-one box things that were a CD player, radio and vinyl player at the same time. The problem was that it often didn’t work well for new records because the needle weight couldn’t be adjusted. I usually would mend the problem by putting dimes and nickels on the needle but I came to the realization that it would not be healthy for my records as my collection started to grow. I headed to Planet of Sound for some help.

They were super helpful and was able to find a perfect player for my needs and price range. They’re super honest about quality (price doesn’t always mean it’s better etc). I ended up choosing the TEAC TN 300 which has a built in pre-amp and also the ability to connect to the computer via USB if I wish. Not to mention it’s beautiful.

Planet of Sound helped me set my needle weight, as well as put the belt on properly at no extra charge. I was afraid I’d break it if I did it myself.

I also bought a Harmon Kardon Aura speaker. It has both Bluetooth and Airplay wireless capabilities. I can also plug it into my new record player. It is perfect for me because I don’t live in a big apartment so this is super simple and the sound fills the entire room.

I am now prepared for the best of both worlds, analog and digital. I can’t wait to annoy my neighbours blasting Carly Rae Jepsen or Arcade Fire. Investing in systems to play all my music is so worth it.